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$23,900

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22/31

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The Honda Civic WTCC will attempt to hold on to the automaker's manufacturer's title in the 2014 FIA World Touring Car Championships, an eleven country tour — including a US stop at Sonoma Raceway — that will pit it against the likes of the Citroen C-Elysees, Lada Granta, and Chevrolet Cruze.

Teaser images of the Civic WTCC were released last month, but now Honda has revealed that, thanks to changes in the WTCC rulebook, the 2014 Civic WTCC's 1.6-liter direct-injection four-cylinder produces 380hp. Honda will field two official cars, built by Milan's JAS Motorsport and decked out in the red and green on white livery of title sponsor Castrol. Two privateer Civics also built by JAS to the same spec will round out Honda's WTCC presence. The 2014 season kicks off on April 12 at Circuit Moulay El Hassan in Morocco.

Back in the UK, the British Touring Car Championships will see a Honda race car of a different stripe hit the tarmac. Namely, a race-modified Civic Tourer, or station wagon in normal-speak. Honda circulated an image last December, but now official photos have been issued by the Honda Yuasa Racing during testing at Silverstone.

The BTCC is a different animal than the WTCC, and the Civic Tourer will be powered by a 2.0-liter inline-four from the Civic Type R. The mill is capable of over 300hp, or double that of a road-going Civic Tourer.

Again, Honda will attempt to hold onto its manufacturer's title against cars like the Ford Focus ST, BMW 125i M Sport, Volkswagen CC, Audi A4 and S3, and Mercedes-Benz A-Class. The 2014 BTCC season kicks off on April 29 at Brands Hatch.

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Tesla partners with GE to install solar panels on Home Depot rooftops

Home Depot is targeting 135 megawatts of renewable energy production for its stores by 2020, and as part of that, the company has partnered with Tesla and GE to install solar panels at 50 of its retail locations, TechCrunch reports. http://tcrn.ch/2x8m2pd

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Apple's new ARKit could make selling cars much easier

Apple's new Augmented Reality developer tools could make it much easier to sell cars online, TechCrunch reports. Virtual showrooms complete with vehicle models that can be viewed inside and out in 3D via iPhone, rather than expensive, dedicated in-store (or portable) hardware setups. http://tcrn.ch/2uMDzGE

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DeLorean shows DMC-12-inspired watch

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Trademark filing hints at new eight-speed auto for Mercedes

Mercedes-Benz is getting ready to introduce an eight-speed automatic transmission, according to trademark filings spotted by Auto Guide. The gearbox will be called 8 G-Tronic, but which engines it will be bolted to is up in the air at this point.

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FCA sitting out Frankfurt show

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles has announced most of its brands will sit out the Frankfurt Auto Show. Fiat, Alfa Romeo, and Jeep will skip the event, while Dodge, Ram, and Chrysler were never on the roster to begin with. That means the group will be represented by Maserati.

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Faraday Future could kill Formula E team

Faraday Future will allegedly pull out of Formula E in a bid to save cash, according to anonymous sources who spoke to The Verge. The company claims the rumors are false, and that it has already started testing for the fourth season of FE which starts in December.

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Mazda RX-9 to debut this year?

Sources close to Mazda have revealed the company's next rotary-engined sports car will debut this fall at the Tokyo Auto Show. Named RX-9, the model will take the form of a coupe that will borrow styling cues from the RX-Vision concept shown at the last edition of the event.

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China's Chery to show Europe-bound crossover in Frankfurt

Chinese automaker Chery will travel to next month's Frankfurt Auto Show to introduce a crossover developed for the European market. The model will go on sale "in the next few years," but it will wear an all-new nameplate created to help the brand expand its presence outside of China.

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Nissan 390Z to debut in Tokyo?

Nissan will attend this year's Tokyo Auto Show to unveil a new concept named 390Z. As its name implies, the design study will shed insight into the company's next Z car, according to German magazine Auto Bild.